Country superstar Keith Urban just took the concept of yacht rock literally. The country singer shocked a boatload of New York City commuters by playing a surprise pop-up set right on an NYC ferry to plug his new album of smooth ’70s covers.
The unexpected performance has quickly gone viral. Music fans online are completely split on how to feel about the surprise gig.
While some people are loving the breezy, laid-back vibe of Urban’s new tunes, others are just wondering how they managed to miss out on the coolest commute of the year. The comment sections of Urban’s social media post quickly filled up with fans joking that they’ll be checking the ferry schedules a lot more closely from now on.
Keith Urban Played Yacht Rock on a Boat
Keith Urban surprised New York commuters with a pop-up concert on a New York City Ferry. It costs $4.50 per single ride, way cheaper than an actual concert and way more intimate.
An Instagram caption sharing a video of the surprise concert read, “Thanks for helping us enter flow state on our afternoon East River commute, Keith Urban. And for supporting public transit in NYC!” “Flow State” is Urban’s newest album of yacht rock covers.
One fan wrote, “This is very cool for the New York City commuters. And for the 10 Ville fans who got to witness this. Just think how cool it would be Keith in your hometown on the Cumberland River. Just throwing that thought out there.”
A second Instagram user penned, “No one connects directly with their fans like Keith Urban does. He is an incredible person and a phenomenal live entertainer. What a treat for everyone!!”
“Oh how I wish I were on this ferry boat. KU is my all-time favorite artist, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and all-time entertainer,” a third fan exclaimed.
A fourth fan concluded, “Keith’s the king of pop-up performances!! You never know where he’ll pop up and start playing!!! It’s exciting.”
Keith Urban’s ‘Flow State’ Contains His Favorite Yacht Rock Classics
According to a press release from Universal Music Group, Keith Urban revisits the breezy, laid-back sounds of classic yacht rock tunes. He calls the genre on of his favorites and felt it was a natural fit for his newest release “Flow State.”
The singer explained, “Creating ‘Flow State’ was one of the most unexpected albums I’ve ever made. In a lot of ways, it felt like the whole album had an energy and life of its own, and I was just following where it led me.”
He added, “The songs we recorded were all so natural though, and I discovered a lot about how much they’ve helped shape my own music. There’s a reason these songs have stood the test of time, and equally so, the need for their spirit of fully disconnecting from ‘the grid’ and swimming in blue sky simplicity.”
Tracks include “Steal Away,” “We Go Back” ft. Michael McDonald, “Summer Breeze,” and “Magnet and Steel” featuring Little Big Town.
